Linkage for beta-flat, c-sharp saxophone key cluster



&

June 14, 1955 H. LEFEVRE-SELMER 2,710,558

LINKAGE FOR B-FLIAT, C-SHARF SAXOPHONE KEY CLUSTER Filed Sept. 5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l *m J 2 {W June 4, 1955 H. LEFEVRESELMER LINKAGE FOR B-FLAT, C-SHARP SAXOPHONE KEY CLUSTER Filed Sept. 5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Henri Leferzre Selmer United States Patent LINKAGE FOR B-FLAT, C-SHARP SAXOPHONE KEY CLUSTER Henri Lefevre-Selmer, Mantes, France, assignor to H. & A. Selmer, Inc., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 5, 1952, Serial No. 308,021

13 Claims. (Cl. 84-385) The present invention relates to woodwind musical instruments of the saxophone type and more particularly to transition mechanism for the left-hand little finger key finger-pieces, such as the B-flat and C-sharp key fingerpieces of a saxophone.

As will readily be recognized, the speed and precision which a saxophone player may achieve are largely determined by the dexterity of his fingering. The left-hand little finger has a particularly difiicult task in making transitions among the coplanar cluster of finger-pieces for operating the B-fiat, B-natural, C-sharp and G-sharp keys. Because depression of the finger-piece of one key displaces it inwardly of the plane of an adjacent finger-piece, the little finger must be lifted before being moved to such adjacent finger-piece. Resort has been taken to fingerpiece edge rollers to long and elaborate key arm mounta ings to minimize the awkwardness of this lifting movement. The demands of modern musical composition upon finger dexterity require yet further easing of the transitions, particularly the important transition from C-sharp to B-fiat.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a saxophone having mechanism to make easier a fingering transition between adjacent finger-pieces.

It is an object of this invention to provide for tilting movement of one finger-piece of an improved saxophone in response to depression of an adjacent finger-piece, whereby the players finger may readily move from the depressed finger-piece to the tilted finger-piece.

A further object of this invention is to provide a transition mechanism connecting adjacent keys for the lefthand little finger, such as the B-fiat and C-sharp keys, to facilitate rapid fingering.

Yet a further object is to provide such transition mechanism which tilts the finger-piece of one key toward the spatula of an adjacent key when the latter is fingered, so that only a sliding movement is required for transition to the tilted finger-piece.

Another object of this invention is to provide an interkey transition mechanism which accommodates operation of a cluster of keys singly and in linked-together groups of two and three. Thus, within the contemplation of this invention, the B-fiat key finger-piece is pivotally mounted on its key arm and has a link extension so connected with the C-sharp key that depression of that key will tilt the B-fiat key finger-piece toward both the C-sharp key finger-piece and also the B-natural and G-sharp key fingerpieces. These four key finger-pieces are arranged in a coplanar cluster for depression by the left-hand little finger. While the G-sharp key finger-piece may be independently depressed, it will automatically be depressed by a fingering of any of the other three key finger-pieces. Moreover, depression of the tiltable B-flat key fingerpiece Will depress not only the G-sharp key finger-piece but also the B-natural key finger-piece. In this manner, the proper tones may be produced with facility and ease of fingering.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as its ice other objects and advantages, will be understood from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings which, by way of exemplification, illustrate an embodiment of this invention.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a saxophone embodying the present invention, certain parts and portions thereof being omitted for clarity in illustrating the novel construction;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the cluster of left-hand little finger keys and portions of the operating rods actuated thereby, as seen in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side eievational view of the key cluster of Figure 3, with the B-flat key depressed;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the key cluster of Figure 3, with the C-sharp key depressed; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the key cluster of Figure 3, with the B-natural key depressed.

As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated saxophone, well-known and conventional parts and portions have been omitted in order not to obscure the novel construction of the present invention. This omitted structure may take any form which will cooperate with the novel features of this invention to provide a practically operative saxophone.

The saxophone, as illustrating the present invention, comprises a stack 10 and bell 11 arranged in a generally spaced parallel relationship and joined in a U-shaped configuration at their bottom ends. On the right side of the bell 11 are provided tone holes controlled by the B-flat pad 12, the B-natural pad 13, and the C-sharp pad 14. The stack 10 is provided with a G-sharp tone hole controlled by the G-sharp pad 15. The four tones controlled by these pads 12, 13, 14 and 15 are generally included within the lowest octave in the range for which the instrument is designed and may be played by the left-hand little finger of the instrumentalist.

Operation of the pads 12, 13, 14 and 15, carried respectively on arms 13, 19, 26 and 21, is effected through rotatable rods 22, 23, 24 and 25 respectively supporting the arms directly, and additional rods 26 and 27 connected to the rods 24 and 25 by respective linkages 28 and 29. By means of these rods and linkages, control of the B-fiat, B-natural, C-sharp, and G-sharp pads is placed in a remote group 30 of keys operable by the left-hand little fiinger. Notably, the direct connection of the rods 22 and 23 with the B-flat pad 12 and B-natural pad 13, respectively, yields the result that a key operation will close these pads 12 and 13 against a normally open bias. The linkages 28 and 29, on the other hand, cause a key operation to open the C-sharp pad 14 and the G-sharp pad 15 against a normally closed bias. The linkages 28 and 29, however, allow the pads 14 and 15 to remain closed when tones lower than those controlled by the pads 14 and 15 are to be produced.

To free the left or player side of the saxophone front operating mechanism, the rods 22, 23, 26 and 27 are rotatably supported by bearing posts 31 in parallel, longitudinally extended relation along the stack 10, spaced inwardly from the left side and between the stack 10 and bell 11. These rods 22, 23, 26 and 27 carry at their upper ends the key arms 32, 33, 34 and 35, respectively, supporting the B-fiat finger-piece 42, the B-natural fingerpiece 43, the C-sharp finger-piece 44, and the G-sharp finger-piece in a generally coplanar, elliptical cluster.

So that these key arms may be as short as possible, therods terminate successively shorter in the transverse direction toward which the key arms extend, and the cluster of finger-pieces is spaced in this direction slightly apart from the ends of the rods.

In order that the E-fiat finger-piece 42 may tilt inwardly toward the center of the cluster of the finger-pieces, the key arm 32 has a yoke mounting 46 in which the B-flat finger-piece 42 is pivotally cradled. The pivotal axis ex tnds generally in the direction of the key arm 32, transverse to the pivot axis of the arm 32 and parallel to the axis of the roller 47 mounted along the inner edge of the finger-piece 42. A pitched or concave outer portion 43 of the B-fiat finger-piece 42 cooperates with the roller 47 in guiding a players finger to the center of the finger- T piece athwart the axis of its mounting 46. The finger may thus more surely come to rest on the finger-piece 42 and, when pressed, will not tend appreciably to tilt the fingerpiece 42 on its mounting 46. Control of the tilting movement of the B-fiat finger piece 42 is thereby reserved to its arcuate lever portion 58 having a lost motion connection with the C-sharp finger-piece 44.

For the purpose of this connection, the lever portion 50 extends from the B-ilat finger-piece 42 inwardly of the mounting 46, outwardly and around the outer edge of the C-sharp finger-piece 44 in closely spaced relationship. A pin 51 projects outwardly from the outer edge of the C-sharp fingerpiece 44 and into a longitudinal slot 52 of the lever portion 5% to effect a positive tilting connection by engagement with the internal cam surfaces of the slot. Depression of the finger-piece 44 on which the pin 51 is carried operates to cam the lever portion 50 downwardly, pitching the B-fiat finger-piece 42 inwardly toward the adjacent finger-pieces 43 and 44. It will be appreciated that other types of connections may positively or impositively cause the one fingenpiece to tilt toward the other finger-piece upon depression of such other fingerpiece. The exemplary pin and slot connection has particular merit in affording a compact, readily manufactured, positive, lost motion connection. Yet any suitable connection will be within the purview of my invention.

The C-sharp finger-piece 44 has a dependent mounting post 54 centrally affixed to its under face and to the bulbous end 55 of the curved key arm 34. The key arm 34 passes beneath the B-flat finger-piece mounting 46 and is notched at 56 therebeneath to accommodate other transition mechanism while supporting the C-sharp fingerpiece 44.

This other transition mechanism, which supplements the mechanism connecting the B-flat and C-sharp fingerpieces, comprises an extension 53 of the B-natural key arm 33. This extension 58 underlies the B-fiat fingerpiece mounting 46 and may be received in the notch 56 of" the C-sharp key arm. Whenever the B-flat finger-piece 42 is depressed, engagement of its mounting 46 with the subjacent extension 58 likewise depresses the B-natural finger-piece 43. In this manner, both the B-fiat pad 12 and the B-natural pad 13 are closed when a B-fiat tone is to be sounded. At the same time, the B-natural fingerpiece 43 is kept substantially coplanar with the B-fiat finger-piece 4-2 for ease of transition therebetween.

Yet a further transition mechanism comprises the lip 60 carried by the G-sharp finger-piece 45 and underlying the adjacent edges of the B-natural finger-piece 43 and C-sharp finger-piece 44. Since the B-natural finger-piece 43 is depressed by fingering the B-flat finger-piece 42, a fingering of any of the B-fiat, B-natural, or C-sharp finger-pieces will, by reason of the subjacent lip 60, depress the G-sharp finger-piece 45. As depressive movement of the G-sharp finger-piece 45 is limited by its dependently carried stop 61, so likewise will depressive movement of the other finger-pieces be limited. Yet the G-sharp finger-piece 45 may be depressed independently of the others to sound the corresponding tone. For easy transitions between the B-natural finger-piece 43 and the C-sharp fingerapiece 44, the rollers 63 and 64 are mounted on their respective confronting inner edges. The axes of these rollers 63 and 64 almost coincide with the major axis of this generally elliptical coplanar cluster of fingerpieces, while the axis of the edge roller 47 is transverse thereto.

As indicated in Figure 6, fingering the B-natural fingerpiece 43 depresses the G-sharp finger-piece 45, and leaves the other finger-pieces 42 and 44 of the cluster undisturbed. When the B-flat finger-piece 42 is fingered, as in Figure 4, only the C-sharp finger-piece 44 remains undepressed. Consequently, the pin 51, which remains sta tionary, cams the lever portion 50 to tilt the B-fiat fingerpiece 42 outwardly away from the other finger-pieces of the cluster. In this tilting movement, the roller 47, along the inner edge of the B-fiat finger-piece 42, is held at substantially a mid-height between the levels of the depressed B-natural finger-piece 43 and the undisturbed 5 C-sharp finger-piece 44 for ready finger transitions to either of these finger-pieces.

If the transition is made to the C-sharp finger-piece 44, and the G-sharp finger-piece 45 remains depressed but the return bias on the B-fiat fingerpiece 42 and 13- natural finger-piece 43 raises them to the positions illustrated in Figure 5. Here the pin 51 on the fingered C-sharp finger-piece 44 has cammed the B-flat fingerpiece 42 in its pivotal mounting 46 to an inclination inwardly toward the C-sharp finger-piece 44 and the other finger-pieces 43 and 45 of the cluster. The B-flat edge roller 47 again takes a position between the levels of the B-natural and C-sharp finger-pieces to facilitate a fingering transition. At the same time, the B-ilat finger-piece 42 is so pitched or tilted toward the C-sharp finger-piece 44 as to catch a finger quickly transferring from the latter finger-piece 44.

Ready transition to the G-sharp fingenpiece 45 is always available, as this finger-piece is depressed when either of the adjacent finger-pieces are fingered.

In the instance that either the B-tlat finger-piece 42 or B-natural finger-piece 43 is fingered, accidental touchin-' of the C-sharp finger-piece 44 is prevented from opening the C-sharp pad 14 by the engagement of lug '73 on the closed B-natural pad 13 with the whisker 74 secured to the rod 24-which carries the C-sharp pad 14. An ease of playing the left-hand little finger cluster of finger-pieces is accordingly seen to result from the transition mechanisms described. Particularly the mounting of the B-fiat finger-piece 42 tiltably on its key arm 32 with means for raising and lowering its inner edge and edge roller 47 toward the adjacent C-sharp fingerpiece 44 promotes this ease of transition. The B-fiat finger-piece 42 may be viewed as mounted on parallel axes, one associated with its own key arm 32 and one with an adjacent key arm 34. The relative movement of these axes pitches the finger-piece 42 in the desired direction and carries its inner edge 47 to an intermediate height relative to the adjacent finger-piece 44. Other transitions are eased by cooperation of the arm extension 53 and the lip 60, such that the cluster of finger-pieces may be arranged compactly on short lever arms.

It will be apparent to those skilled in this art that l have described a novel, improved transition mechanism for key finger-pieces of Saxophones by which the playing of difficult passages is eased and the virtuosity of saxophonists takes a greater range. The balanced touch of the keys yet remains unimpaired, while their manufacture is economical.

As the foregoing description serves as an exemplification of this invention, it will be understood that various details of construction may be modified through a wide range without a departure from the principles of this invention. It'is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a saxophone, the combination comprising a key having a depressible finger-piece independently tiltable,

a second key having a finger-piece positioned adjacent said tiltable finger-piece, and means operated by said second key for tilting said tiltable finger-piece independently of the depression and return movement of the tiltable finger-piece.

2. In a saxophone, the combination comprising longitudinally extending operating rods, key arms carried on said rods, a depressible finger-piece fixedly ed on one of said key arms, a second depressible fingerpiece pivotally mounted on another of said key arms for tilting movement toward and away from said fixed fingerpiece, and transition mechanism operatively connec i said finger-pieces to tilt said pivotally mounted fin erpiece when said first finger-piece is fingered.

3. In a saxophone, the combination comprising a pair of keys swingable on parallel axes, depressible fingerpieces carried by said keys normally in adjacent substantially co-planar positions, one of said finger-pieces being tiltable relative to the other of said finger-pieces on an axis generally transverse to the key axis, and cam means for tilting the tiltable finger-piece when either of said finger-pieces is fingered.

4. In a saxophone, the combination comprising a pair of depressible keys, and a finger-piece pivotally mounted on both of said keys on parallel axes, thereby to pitch toward whichever key is depressed.

5. In a saxophone, the combination comprising a pair of depressible keys, a finger-piece fixed to one of said keys, a second finger-piece pivotally mounted on the other of said keys adjacent and normally coplanar with said fixed finger-piece for tilting toward said fixed fingerpiece, said tiltable finger-piece having a lever portion provided with a slot, and a pin projecting from said fixed finger-piece into said slot to tilt said tiltable fingerpiece upon relative movement of said keys.

6. In a saxophone, the combination comprising a B- flat key arm and a C-sharp key arm swingable on parallel axes, a C-sharp finger-piece fixedly mounted on said C-sharp key arm, a B-tlat finger-piece pivotally mounted on said B-fiat key arm adjacent said C-sharp finger-piece for tilting theretoward, said B-fiat fingerpiece having a lever member extending from its inner edge around the outer edge of said C-sharp finger-piece, said B-flat finger-piece having an outer portion pitched inwardly toward said C-shaip finger-piece, and a pin projecting outwardly from the other edge of said C-sharp finger-piece, said lever member having a longitudinal? slot to receive said pin in a lost motion connection for tilting said B-flat finger-piece.

7. In a saxophone, a key arm, a depressible fingerpiece mounted on said arm for independent pivoting on an axis extending longitudinally of said arm, and a levrr secured to said spatula and extending therefrom transverse to its axis of pivot, said lever having a cam surface to control tilting movement of said finger-piece.

8. In a saxophone, a B-flat finger-piece, a key arm swingable on a longitudinal axis and pivotally support ing said finger-piece on a transverse axis, said fingerpiece having a lever portion extending from its inner edge to control pivotal movement and having an outer portion pitched inwardly toward said lever portion, a roller carried along the inner edge of said finger-piece and with said outer portion serving to position a finger centrally over the pivotal axis of said finger-piece.

9. A saxophone including a generally coplanar cluster of depressible finger-pieces, key arms supporting said finger-pieces, one of said finger-pieces being tiitable toward the adjacent finger-pieces, and means including a level connected between said tiltable finger-piece and an adjacent finger-piece for controlling tilting movement of said tiltable finger-piece.

10. A saxophone including a group of key arms, B-flat and B-natural and C-sharp fingenpieces carried on respective key arms of said group in a generally coplanar cluster, said B-fiat finger-piece being pivotally mounted on its key arm for tilting inwardly toward the B-natural and C-sharp finger-pieces, the B-natural key arm extend ing subjacent the B-fiat key arm for depression therewith, said B-flat and C-sharp finger-pieces having a pin and link connection therebetween for tilting said B-fiat fingerpiece inwardly upon depression of said C-sharp fingerpiece.

11. A saxophone comprising a stack; key arms on said stack swingable on an axis extending longitudinally of said stack; B-tiat, B-natural, C-sharp and G-sharp finger-pieces carried on respective key arms in a generally coplanar cluster; said B-flat finger-piece having a pivotal connection with the B-fiat and C-sharp key arms thereby to rock inwardly toward the C-sharp finger-piece when the latter is depressed, the B-natural key arm having an extension subjacent the B-fiat key arm for depression therewith; said G-sharp finger-piece having a lip extending subjacent said B-natural and C-sharp finger-pieces for depression therewith, pads on said saxophone for controlling the tone holes thereof, and operating mechanism connecting said key arms and said pads for selectively opening said pads when said finger-pieces are fingered.

12. A saxophone comprising a stack, a group of key arms swingably mounted on said stack, a B-flat and a B-natural and a C-sharp finger-piece carried on respective key arms of said group in a generally coplanar cluster, and a roller mounted along the inner edge of said B-fiat finger-piece adjacent the edges of said B- natural and C-sharp finger-pieces, said B-flat finger-piece being pivotally mounted on an axis parallel to the axis of said roller, said B-flat finger-piece having a lever portion extending from its inner edge outwardly around the outer edge of said C-sharp finger-piece and there slotted, said C-sharp finger-piece having a pin extending from its outer edge into the slot of said lever portion whereby depression of said C-sharp fingenpiece positions the edge roller of the B-fiat finger-piece between the planes of the B-natural and C-sharp finger-pieces, the B-natural key arm having an extension subjacent the B-fiat key arm, whereby depression of the B-flat finger-piece positions its edge roller between the planes of the B-natural and C- sharp finger-pieces.

13. A saxophone comprising a group of left-hand little finger keys, one of said keys having a finger-piece both depressible to actuate the respective key and independently tiltable to ease finger transitions between it and adjacent keys, pads carried by said saxophone to control its tone holes, and means operated by said keys for selectively actuating said pads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,118 Loney Nov. 14, 1939 2,533,389 Meyers Dec. 12, 1950 2,555,980 Loney June 5, 1951 2,560,083 Bullock July 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 979,343 France Apr. 25, 1951 

